Apparatus for introducing fluid into a deep well pump



Naw. M, W39. c. J. COBERLY 2,179,480

APPARATUS FOR INTRODUCING FLUID INTO A DEEP WELL PUMP Filed April 21,1957 o .o l,

[/v VEN TOR C A REA/cf l CofRL y A 7* TOR NE r6.

By #ARMs/0501, F

mm T Patented Nov. 14, 1939 2.119.430 ArPAnA'rUs ron INTRODUcmG FLUID'WELL PUMPv INTOADEEP oni-ence J. calmly, Los Angeles, cem., signortoRoko Corporation, Reno, Nev., a corporation of Nevada Application Aprll21, 1937, Serial No. 138,177

(Cl. ID3-203) 19 Claims.

My invention relates to the deep well pumping art, and more particularlyto an apparatus for introducing a huid to be pumped into a deep well131111119- Although my invention is susceptible of many uses. it is ofparticular utility in the oil lndustry and will be described inconnection with a deep well pump adapted to pump oil from an oil well.It is to be understood, however, that this application of the inventionis for the purpose of illustration only, and I do not intend to belimited thereby to the speciiic use described.

In the pumping oi oil wells numerous types of pumps may be successfullyutilized, as is well known in the art. Although the type oi' pumputilized forms no part or my present invention, i prefer to use myinvention in conjunction with a fluid operated deep well pump of thetypedisclosed in my copending Patent No. 2,081,223, issued May 25, 1937,entitled Fluid operated deep well pump, which discloses a pump and motorunit adapted to be positioned in a well so as to pump uid therefrom.

As is well known in the art, oil to be pumped from a well frequently hasa substantial quantity of gas mixed therewith or in solution therein.The amount of gas in solution under equilibrium conditions depends onthe temperature and pressure in the well and the analysis of both theoil and the gas. It is possible for the oil to be supersaturatedpi. e.,to have more gas in solution than the amount normally corresponding toequilibrium conditions. When the pressure on the well fluid isdecreased, the temperature increased, or when the fluid is agitated,relatively large quantities of the gas therein are frequently liberatedand separate from the oil and form a foam or an emulsion therewith. Suchgas produces a number of detrimental effects in the pumping, treating,conveying, and storing of the pumped fluid, and numerous devices havebeen devised and are common in the art for separating such gas from theoil. Prior art devices for separating the gas from'the oil prior to thepumping of the oil from the well have not produced satisfactoryresults,` and it is a primary object of my invention to provide anapparatus for separating at least a portion ofV the gas in the fluid tobe pumped from a well therefrom prior to pumping such uid from the well.

saturation, in which the degree of gas saturation is reduced before theliquid enters the pump.

Another object of my invention is to supply an apparatus for introducinginto a pump a liquid normally supersaturated with gas, in which thedegree of supersaturation of the liquid is reduced. and the degree ofsaturation is then further reduced before the liquid enters the pump.

I prefer to accomplish this by reducing the pressure on the liquid todecrease the degree of supersaturation thereof and then increasing thepressure thereon to reduce the degree of saturation.

Another object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for use inconnection with a deep well pump of the character described above forreducing to a minimum the tendency of the pumpl4 to cause the release ofgas from the pumped fluid and the resulting loss of pump capacity due tothe space occupied by such gas.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus forseparating gas from a fluid to be pumped by creating a sudden drop inpressure between spaced portions of the iiuid before the huid enters thepumping means adapted to pump said iiuid.

Another object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for separatinggas from a fluid to be pumped by passing said uid through an orificedesigned so as to decreasethe fluid pressure on said uid.

Still another object of my invention is to provide means for separatinggas from a fluid to be pumped by passing said uid through an orifice andmaintaining a substantially uniform pressure dierential across theorifice.

A further object of the invention lies in providing an apparatus forseparating gas from a uid to be pumped by maintaining a substantiallyuniform pressure diierential between spaced portions of a iiuid to bepumped regardless of fluctuations in the amount of uid pumped.

Another object of the invention is to provide agitation of a fluid to bepumped before it enters the pump by subjecting the fluid to a turbulentow through an orice.

Another object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for separatinggas from a fluid only and in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the inlet member of my invention installedin conjunction with a deep well pump.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of an alternative form of my invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of still another alternative formoi' my invention.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the inlet valve of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows an inlet member I0 threaded at IIto a collar I2 which in turn is threadedly secured to an oil well tubingI3. 'Ihe oil well tubing I3 may be suspended in a Well by any suitablemeans well known in the art, such as a casing head or other means, notshown. The collar I2 is internally threaded to receive the upper end ofa tube I 6 forming a pump receptacle member which is concentric with andprojects downwardly in the inlet member I0. The tube IB is internallythreaded at its lower end I1 to receive a valve body I8 havling achamber I9 in the lower part thereof which is connected to the interiorof the pump receptacle I 8 by a vertical passage 20, the upper end ofwhich is flared to form a pump seat 2i. A radial opening 22 in the wallof the valve body I8 connects the chamber I9 with the exterior of thevalve body, and has therein a valve seat 23 adapted to be engaged by aclosure member preferably consisting of a metal ball 24 disposed in thechamber I9. 1

A deep well pump mechanism 28, which may be o'f any desired type butwhich is preferably of the type disclosed in my copending Patent No.2,081,223, is provided at the lower end with a 'tapered portion 23adapted to seat in the pump seat 2| and to form a fiuid-tight sealbetween the pump and the valve body I8. The pump 28 may be loweredthrough the oil tubing I3 or otherwise positioned therein so as to seaton the pump seat 2 I, so as to be capable of drawing fluid thereintofrom the passage 20 and pump it upwardly through the tube I8 and the oiltubing I3.

The inlet member I 0 has an auxiliary valve member 30 internallythreaded at 3I to the collar I2, the valve member having an internallythreaded recessed portion 3Ia at its lower end. The valve member 30 isprovided with a passage 32 therein which communicates between theinterior of the inlet member I0 and the exterior thereof, and directlycommunicates with a space 25 between the inlet member and the tube I6,the passage 32 being counterbored at 33 to provide a seat for a closuremember preferably fonned by a metal ball 34, the passage and the ballforming auxiliary valve means for releasing gas from the interior oi'the inlet member as hereinafter described. A ring member 35 is threadedon the upper end of the valve member 38 and partially obstructs theouter end of the counterbore 33 so as to permit gas to pass through thepassage 32 from the interior to the exterior of the inlet member I0 butconfining the ball 34 in the counterbore, the ball being free to movetherein so as to permit the passage of such gas.`

Threadedly secured to the lower end of the valve member 30 is an uppertube member 38 on the lower end of which is threadedly received laninlet collar 39 having fluid orifices 40 therein which may be of anyconvenient form which will create a pressure differential thereon whenfluid is flowing therethrough as described hereinafter. I prefer toprovide six orifices 40 spaced around the perimeter of the inlet collar39 and communicating between the exterior thereof and the space 25between lthe inlet member I0 and the tube I6, although any desirednumber of orifices may be used without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I also prefer to form the orifices 40, as shown in Fig. 1, sothat they slant upwardly and inwardly from their external openings 4I onthe exterior of the inlet collar to their internal openings 4I on theinterior of the collar, so that the fluid is directed upwardly towardthe upper end of the space 25. Internally threaded in the lower end ofthe inlet collar 38 is a lower tube member 43, which is preferably ofthe same diameter as the upper tube 38, to.

the lower end of which a closure member 44 is connected by a threadedlower collar 45. In practice, the tubes 38 and 43 may be made in one ormore sections threaded together by suitable collars to obtain correctlengths of the upper and lower portions of the space 25. Although I haveshown the upper sleeve 38, the inlet collar 39, the lower sleeve 43, thelower collar 45, and the closure member 44 as separate elements forsimplicity of manufacture, it will be understood that these elements canbe formed integrally as a single shell Without departing from the spiritof the invention. The closure member 44 forms a chamber 46 surroundingand extending below the inlet body I8 and communicating with the space25.

In practice, the inlet member I0 is secured to the pump tubing I3 by thecollar I2, and the tubing islowered into the well until the inlet memberis wholly submerged in the fluid in the Well which is to be pumped. Thelevel of fluid in the Well is diagrammatically represented in Fig. 1 bythe line A-A, but it will be understood that ordinarily in practice thislevel may be considerably higher relative to the inlet member I0. Beforeactuation of the pump 28 is commenced, the head of fluid in the wellforces well fluid through the orifices 40 into the chamber 46 and thespace 25. The well fluid substantially fills the space 25 so as to forma column of fiuid in the space above the orifices 40, although a smallamount of gas may remain in or collect in the upper end oi the space.

In operation, when the pump 28 is started, well fluid is drawn throughthe opening 22 and the valve seat 23, the ball 24 moving away from theseat to permit such entry of fluid. As fluid is pumped out of thechamber 46 by the pump 28, fluid pressure in the space 25 is reduced,and the head of uid in the well above the orifices 40 operates to forcewell iiuid through the orifices into the interior of the inlet memberI0. The orifices 40 are restricted openings so that any flow of wellfiuid therethrough creates a substantial pressure differential on theorifices. It will be apparent that the pressure ofthe well fluid at theopening 4I at the outer end of the orifice 40 will always beconsiderably higher than the pressure of the iiuid at the opening 42 atthe inner end of the orice when the pump 28 is being actuated. This dropin pressure is due to the friction loss through the passage 40 and theconversion of pressure head into velocity head in the orifice.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 1, the size and shape of theorifices are so designed that for a given iiow of fluid through theorifices 40, the total drop in pressure thereacross will be equal to thepressure exerted by a head of fluid h2 such as, for example, between thelines B-B and C--C. It will be understood that the head of' fluid in thewell between the lines B-B and D-D will not allbe required to force thewell Huid through the orifices, and that a part thereof comprising ahead of duid ha will be avail- `(able to create an upward pressure inthe space 25 above the inner opening, 42 of the orifice 40, which Iutilize to exhaust gas from the space 25 as described hereinafter, thisbeing an important ieature or the invention.

As pointed out, the well fluid iiowing into the openings 4l oi theorifices 40 may be mixed with gas as well as supersaturated with gas,but due to the reduction of pressure in the orices 48, as the uuid flowsinwardly therethrough a substantial part oi this gas is freed from thefluid by this drop in pressure therein and by the turbulence caused bythe discharge of this fluid into the space 25, and when the fluid andfree gas expand by reduction of pressure into the space 25, the gasrises through the fluid therein to the top ci the space where itcollects. The head h4, which is the amount the iiuid level is depressedbelow the line C-C, exerts an upward force against the gas collected inthe upper end of the space 25, and this gas in turn exerts an upwardforce against the ball 34. Consequently, the upward force exerted on theball 34 is equal to the head h4 plus the head h1, whereas the downwardforce is merely equal to h1, and, accordingly, the ball moves away fromits seat to permit excess gas in the space 25 to exhaust through thepassage 32 and the counterbore 33 into the well. It will be understoodthat the pressure exerted by the head h4 on the ball 34 depends upon theamount of gas in the upper end of the space 25, due to the difference inspeciiic gravities of the gas and the oil. Thus, i1' the space 25 isentirely filled with oil, the effective upward pressure tending to movethe ball 34 will be zero, but as the amount of gas in the spaceincreases beyond h2, the effective upward pressure h4 approaches thehead ha. As soon as suflicient gas has exhausted from the space 25 toreduce the pressure in the space below the pressure exerted by the headh1 and the weight of the ball 34, the ball seats to close the auxiliaryvalve means. In operation, the internal and external pressures on theball 34 quickly attain a substantial balance at which the level of oilin the space 25 maintains a substantially uniform level such asrepresented by the line E-E. ns additional gas collects in the upper endof the space 25, the pressure therein increases, and the ball 34 isunseated to permit such gas to exhaust into the well, the level E-E oithe uid in the space 25 remaining substantially constant.

it will also be noted that the inlet orices 4l) are positionedconsiderably above the radial opening 22 of the inlet body I8 to.provide a fluid head ht between the lines D--D and F-F. The elements ofthe device are so formed and positioned that the pressure exerted by thehead ha is always greater than the friction head required to draw thepumped fluid into the pump 28 at the normal pumping capacity so that thefluid is always less than saturated with gas when it passes into thepump. This feature of construction is important in that it provides anadditional means for lowering the gas saturation of the pumped fluidprior to pumping, which prevents the liberation of gas in the pumpduring pumping and insures that the pump is entirely iilled with oil andfree from gas bubbles.

An alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 2, in whichan inlet member 58 is connected to a collar 5I of oil well tubing 52through an annular valve member 53 having a valve passage 54 containinga.closure element 55. In this embodiment a pump receptacle tube 58 isthreaded directly to the collar 5I, the valve member 53 making a slidingt with the exterior of the tube and being in engagement with a shoulder51 formed on the collar. The valve member 53 is provided with anexternal shoulder receiving an upper sleeve 58 of the inlet member 50which bears against an upper shoulder of an inlet collar 59 which inturn has a lower shoulder which bears against a lower sleeve 68. Theinlet collar 59 is provided with inlet orifices 6l similar in functionto the orifices 40 shown in Fig. l, but has one or more studs 62 adaptedto engage the pump receptacle 56 to concentrically align the upper andlower sleeves 58 and 68 therewith. The lower end of the lower slee've 68bears against a shoulder formed on a closure member 63.

The pump receptacle tube 56 is provided at its lower end with a valvebody 64, similar in construction and function to the valve body I8 shownin Fig. 1, but having a threaded opening 65 in the lower end thereofadapted to receive a threaded bolt 66 projecting through an axialopening 61 in the closure member 63. The lower end of the bolt 66 isprovided with a nut B8, and when the elements of the inlet member 58 areassembled as shown in Fig. 2, the nut may be tightened to draw theclosure member 63 upwardly relative to the pump receptacle 56 to formfluid-tight joints between all the elements. Thus, when the device isassembled, fluid-tight fits are formed between the valve member 53 andthe shoulder 51, between the valve member 53 and the upper sleeve 58,between the upper sleeve 58 and the inlet collar 55, between the inletcollar 59 and the lower sleeve 60, and between the lower sleeve 68 andthe closure member 63. The operation of the device shown in Fig. 2 isthe same as the operation of the embodiment shawn in Fig. 1, asdescribed hereinabove, excess gas being discharged through the gas valveformed by the valve passage 54 and closure element 55. The chiefadvantage of the construction shown in Fig. 2 is its simpliicty ofelements and ease of assembly.

Another alternative embodiment is shown in Fig. 3, which has the samegeneral construction as the form shown in Fig. 2. A collar 10 is engagedby an annular valve member 1l, similar to the valve member 53, which isin turn engaged by an outer sleeve 12. The outer sleeve 12 is providedwith studs 13 adapted to axially align the sleeve with a pump receptacle14, similar to the pump receptacle 56. The sleeve 12 has an externalannular channel 15 covered by a tubular screen 16 suitably iixed to thesleeve, and has an inlet passage 11. formed therein communicatingbetween the annular channel and a passage 18 in an annular ring 19formed integrally with the sleeve 12 or suitably fixed therein as bywelding. The passage has a lower enlarged counterbore portion whichreceives a ball valve member 8| held in seating engagement with theupper end of the counterbore by a compression spring 82. A threaded plug83 closes the lower end of the counterbore and has an opening 84 thereinto permit the passage of fluid therethrough. The pump receptacle 14 hasan inlet body 85 at its lower end, similar in construction to the inletbody 64.

Ii operation, the spring-actuated inlet valve, formed by the valvemember 8l and the spring 82, maintains a uniform pressure differentialacross the inlet passages 'I1 and 1B regardless of the length and sizeoi the passages, whereas in the embodiments shown in Figs. l and 2 thelength and size of the inlet orifices have to be very carefullycoordinated to maintain the correct desired stabilizing action on thefluid flowing therethrough. 'I'his is an important feature of thisembodiment of the invention. Furthermore, with the construction shown inFig. 3, a variable amount of fluid can flow'through the inlet passagesll and 'i8 without varying the pressure drop therein, due to the uniformaction of the compression spring 82, and consequently the agitation o1'the fluid flowing through the passage remains uniform regardless of theamount of fluid flowing therethrough. The screen 16 acts to preventclogging of the inlet passages 'Il and 18. Although I have only shownone inlet valve in the annular ring 19, I prefer to use three of suchvalves spaced at equal intervals around the shoulder, and it will beapparent that any desirable numberv may be used depending upon pumpingconditions.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a deep well pumping device, the combination of pump means adaptedto pump fluid from a well, said pump means having a pump inlet; an inletmember connected to said pump means so as to supply well fluid thereto,said inlet member having an orifice communicating between said well andthe interior of said member at a point above said pump inlet, saidorifice being so formed that a pressure differential is impressed onwell fluid flowing therethrough so as to separate gas from said fluid,said gas collecting, in said member; and valve means associated withsaid member for removing at least a portion of said gas from saidmember.

2. In a deep well pumping device, the combination of: pump means adaptedto pump fluid from a well, said pump means having an inlet; wals forminga chamber communicating with said inlet; means for conducting well fluidinto said chamber at a point above said inlet, said 4means being adaptedto reduce the pressure on said fluid flowing into said chamber below thefluid pressure in said well so as to cause gas to separate from saidfiuidand collect in said chamber; valve means for permitting the escapeof gas from said chamber; and means for maintaining the amount of gas insaid chamber below a predetermined maximum.

3. In a deep well pumping device, the combination of: lpumping meansadapted to be positioned in a well adjacent the production zone thereof;a shell member forming a chamber; means for securing said shell memberrelative to said pumping means; walls forming a restricted oricecommunicating between the fluid in said well and said chamber, saidorifice being so formed as t0 impress a substantial pressuredifferential on fluid flowing therethrough so as to separate gastherefrom in said chamber; fluid inlet means communicating between saidchamber and said pumping means, said inlet means being below said orice;and valve means associated with said walls for permitting at least aportion of said gas to escape from said chamber.

4. In a deep well pumping device, the combination of: pumping meansadapted to be positioned in a well adjacent the production zone thereof;a shell member forming a chamber; means for securing said shell memberrelative to said pumping means; walls forming an orifice communicatingbetween the fluid in said well and said chamber, said orifice being soformed as to impress a pressure differential on fluid flowingtherethrough so as to separate gas therefrom in said chamber; iluidinlet means communicating between said chamber below said orifice andsaid pumping means; valve means associated with said shell member forpermitting at least a portion of said gas to escape from said chamber;and means for maintaining the lower level of said gas in said chamberabove said orifice.

5. In a deep well pumping device, the combination of: pumping meansadapted to be positioned in a well adjacent the production zone thereof;a shell member forming a chamber; means for securing said shell memberrelative to said pumping means; walls forming an orifice commiunicatingbetween the uid Ain said well and said chamber, said orifice being soformed as to impress a pressure differential on fluid flowing`therethrough so as to separate gas therefrom to collect in saidchamber; fluid inlet means communicating between said chamber below saidorifice and said pumping means; valve means associated with said shellmember above said orifice for permitting at least a portion of said gasto escape from said chamber; and means for maintaining the lower levelof said gas in said chamber above said oriilce.

6. In a deep well pumping device, the combination of: a production tubeadapted to be extended down into a well to the uid producing zonethereof for carrying' well fluid to the surface into said shell from thewell above the lower end of said inlet body, said means being so formedas to impress a fluid pressure differential on the fluid flowingtherethrough so as to liberate gas in the interior of said shell; andvalve means associatedl with 'said shell and communicating between theinterior of said shell and the well forpermitting the escape of at leasta portion of said gas from said shell.

'7. In a deep well pumping device, the combination of: a production tubeadapted to be extended down into a well to the fluid producing zonethereof for carrying well fluid to the surface of the ground; an outershell extending downwardly from the lower end of said tube; a pumpreceptacle in the lower part of said shell; means connecting the upperend of said pump receptacle to said tube; pumping means adapted to belowered through said tube into said pump receptacle; means forming aseal between the exterior of said pumping means and said receptacle; aninlet body at the lower end of said receptacle connecting the inlet ofsaid pumping means with the interior of said shell; means for conductingsaid fluid into said shell from the well, said means being so formed asto impress a fluid pressure differential on the fluid flowingtherethrough so as to liberate gas in the interior of said shell; valvemeans communicating between the interior of said shell and the well forpermitting the escape of at least a portion of said gas from said shell;and

means between said valve body and said shell for rigidly holding saidshell relative to said lower end of said tube and forming a fluid-tightjoint therebetween.

8. In a deep well pumping devicefthe combination of: pump means adaptedto pump uid from a well; an inlet member connected to said pump means soas to supply well fluid thereto, said inlet member having an orificecommunicating between said well and the interior of said member, saidoriiice being so formed that a pressure differential is impressed onwell fluid owing therethrough so as to separate gas from said huid; andmeans associated with said orifice for maintaining said pressuredifferential substantially uniform regardless of iluctuations in theamount of fluid iiowing therethrough.

9. In a deep well pumping device, the combination of: pumping meansadapted to be positioned in a well; a shell member forming a chamber;means for securing said shell member relative to said pumping means;walls forming an orifice communicating between the exterior of saidshell and said chamber, said orifice being so formed as to impress asubstantial pressure diierential on Huid owing therethrough so as toseparate gas therefrom in said chamber; fluid inlet means communicatingbetween said chamber and said pumping means; valve means for permittingat least a portion of said gas to escape from said chamber; and meansassociated with said orice for maintaining said pressure differentialsubstantially uniform regardless of fluctuations in the amount of fluidflowing therethrough.

10. In a deep well pumping device, the combination of: pumping meansadapted to be positioned in a well; a shell member forming a chamber;means for securing said shell member relative to said pumping means;walls forming an orice communicating between the exterior of said shelland said chamber, said oriic/ being so formed as to impress asubstantial plessure differential on huid flowing therethrough so as toseparate gas therefrom in said chamber; fluid inlet means communicatingbetween said chamber and said pumping means; valve means associated withsaid shell for permitting at least a portion of said gas to escape fromsaid chamber; and means associated with said orifice for maintainingsaid pressure differential substantially uniform regardless ofuctuations in the amount of fluid flowing therethrough.

1l. In a deep well pumping device, the combination of: pumping meansadapted to be positloned in a well; a shell member forming a chamber;means for securing said shell member relative to said pumping means;walls forming an oriiice communicating between the exterior of saidshell and said chamber, said orifice being so formed as to impress asubstantial pressure dierential on uid owing therethrough so as toseparate gas therefrom in said chamber; iluid inlet means communicatingbetween said chamber and said pumping means; valve means associated withsaid shell for permitting at least a portion of said gas to escape fromsaidchamber; and valve means associated with said orice for maintainingsaid pressureV differential substantially uniform regardless ofuctuations in the amount of fluid owing therethrough.

l2. In a deep well pumping device, the combination of: pumping meansadapted to pump uid from a well; a shell member forming a chamber, saidshell member being -submerged in the fluid in said well; means forsecuring said shell member relative to said pumping means; walls formingan orice communicating between the fluid in said well and said chamber,said orifice being so formed as to impress a pressure differential onfluid flowing therethrough so as to separate gas therefrom in saidchamber; uid inlet means communicating between said chamber and saidpumping means at a point below said orice; and valve means forpermitting gas to escape from said chamber, said gas being expelled fromsaid chamber by the action of at least a portion of the submergence headof said uid above said orifice.

13. In a deep well pumping device, the combination of: pumping meansadapted to pump uld from a well; a shell member forming a chamber, saidshall member being submerged in the uld in said well; means for securingsaid shell member relative to said pumping means; walls forming anorifice communicating between the uid in said well and said chamber,said orice being so formed as to impress a pressure diflerential onfluid iiowing therethrough so as to separate gas therefrom in saidchamber, said orice being so formed that a portion of the submergencehead of the fluid in the well above said orice exerts an upward pressureon the gas in said chamber; fluid inlet means communicating between saidchamber and said pumping means; and valve means for permitting gas toescape from said chamber.

14. In a deep well pumping device, the combination of: collar means; anupper tube member secured relative to said collar; an orifice collarconnected to the lower end of said upper tube member, having arestricted orifice therein; a lower tube member secured to the lower endof said orice collar .and having its lower end closed. said upper andlower tube members forming a chamber; and a tubular pump receptaclewithin said chamber adapted to receive pumpingmeans, the lower end ofsaid pump receptacle communicating with said chamber so as'to provide aninlet for said pumping means.

15. In a deep well pumping device, the combination of: collar means; anupper tube member secured relative to said collar; an oriilce collarconnected to the lower end of said upper tube member, having -arestricted orice therein; a lower tube member secured to the lower. endof said orifice collar and having its lower end closed,

said upper and lower tube members forming a chamber; a tubular pumpreceptacle within said chamber adapted to receive pumping means, thelower end of said pump receptacle communicating with said chamber so asto provide an inlet for said pumping means; and a valve at the upper endof said upper tube member communicating between said chamber and theexterior of said upper tube member.

16. In a deep well pumping device, the combination of: collar means; anupper tube member secured relative to said collar; an orifice collarconnected to the lower end of said upper tube member, having arestricted orice disposed so as to slant inwardly and upwardly therein;a lower tube member secured to the lower end of said orifice collar andhaving its lower end closed, said upper and lower tube members forming achamber; a tubular pump receptacle within said chamber adapted toreceive pumping means, the lower end of said pump receptaclecommunicating with said chamber so as to provide an inlet for saidpumping means; and a valve at the upper end of said upper tube membercommunicating between said chamber and the exterior o! said upper tubemember.

17. In a deep well pumping device. the combination of: collar means; anupper tube member secured relative to said collar; an oriilce collarconnected to the lower end of said upper tube member, having arestricted orifice therein; inwardly opening valvemeans in said oriilce;a lower tube member secured to the lower end of said orice collar andhaving its lower end closed. said upper and lower tube members forming achamber; a tubular pump receptacle within said chamber adapted toreceive pumping means, the lower end of said pump receptaclecommunicating with said chamber so as to provide an inlet for saidpumping means; and a valve at the up= per end of said upper tube membercommunicating between said chamber and the exterior ot said upper tubemember.

18. In a deep well pumping device, the combination of: collar means; anupper tube member secured relative to said collar; an orice collarconnected to the lower end of said upper tube member, having arestricted oriilce therein; a lower tube member secured to the lower endof said oriice collar and having its lower endclosed, said upper andlower tube members forming a chamber; a tubular pump receptacle withinsaid chamber adapted to receive pumping means. the lower end oi' saidpump receptacle communicating with said chamber so as to provide aninlet for said pumping means; a valve at the upper end oi' said uppertube member communicating between said chamber and the exterior of saidupper tube member; and a perforated tubular member surrounding andspaced from said oriice collar.

19. In a deep well pumping device. the combination of: pumping meansadapted to pump uid from a well; a shell member forming a cham--l ber,said shell member being at least partially submerged in the fluid insaid well; means for securing said shell member relative to said pumpingmeans; walls forming an orice communieating between the iiuid in saidwell and said chamber, said oriiice being so formed as to impress apressure diierential on uid owing therethrough so as to separate gastherefrom in said chamber, .said orice being so formed that the pressurediierential impressed on said orice is less than the pressure exerted bythe submergence head of the iiuid in the well above said oriilce; iiuidinlet means communicating between said chamber and said pumping means;and

-valve means for permitting gas to escape-from laid chamber.

CLARENCE J. COBERLY.

